Astros report: Lyles’ demise raises another unsettling question

The Astros have devoted the 2013 season to player development and evaluation, saying they want to answer questions about their athletes before moving on with the next stage of their rebuild.

After 15 starts this season, Jordan Lyles’ long-term direction is again a question mark.

Lyles, 22, a righthander, was the club’s best starting pitcher from May 17 to June 18 and has the potential to be a top-of-the-rotation fixture. But Lyles was demoted to Class AAA Oklahoma City before spring training ended, he’s often been inconsistent, and he was hammered Sunday during the Astros’ 12-5 blowout loss to the Mariners at Minute Maid Park before an announced crowd of 38,838.

Lyles allowed eight hits and 10 runs (nine earned) while walking two and hitting two in four-plus innings. He gave up seven runs in the second inning — highlighted by Nick Franklin’s line-drive grand slam — as Seattle (46-52) swept the three-game AL West series.

Lyles’ record evened out at 4-4, while his ERA rose to 4.78. He’s given up 35 hits, 27 earned runs and 10 walks in his last 26 innings.

After the game, manager Bo Porter answered a question about Lyles’ recent struggles with a comment about his team’s poor infield defense. The Astros’ middle infield botched several plays Sunday, the team ranks second in MLB with 71 errors, and a fielding error by shortstop Jake Elmore helped set up Franklin’s grand slam.

“I may look at the game through a different lens than a lot of people,” Porter said. “You look at the seven-run second inning, and you have a double play that’s not made, that’s not turned. And instead of it being two outs and nobody on base, it’s first and second and nobody out.”

Lyles has acknowledged his repertoire has lacked sharpness and said his fastball command was off against the Mariners. But a pitcher who’s regularly self-critical also didn’t ignore what Porter saw.

“It’s hard to say,” Lyles said. “After that (error), the stuff wasn’t as good. I’ve said it multiple times, and I’ll continue to say it: Errors are made. I make a lot of errors myself. The good (pitchers) turn the corner and get out of it, and I wasn’t good (Sunday).”

But a club that’s lost five consecutive games and 17 of 21 could have at least 70 losses before Aug. 1.

A three-game home series against the AL West rival Oakland A’s is followed by a 10-game road trip during which the July 31 trade deadline falls. With more player movement expected, manager Bo Porter is seeking improved play from a club adjusting to new names.

“The effort is definitely there,” Porter said. “The execution is where we have that inconsistency. That inconsistency has basically been the tale of our season. It’s been a real roller-coaster ride. When you don’t play good baseball, you walk away and say, ‘OK. I understand exactly why we didn’t win that game.’ ”

Porter defends Bedard decision

Erik Bedard didn’t want to stay in Saturday’s game against Seattle, despite having a no-hitter through 6 1⁄3 innings.

But even if Bedard, 34, had pleaded with manager Bo Porter to let him finish the seventh, the lefthander who’s had arm surgery wouldn’t have been allowed to throw a complete game.

Bedard cited fatigue when he hit 109 pitches. Porter said Bedard’s limit was 120, no matter the circumstances. Bedard, who began the season on a pitch count, wasn’t going to be an exception.

“I’ve told our starters this each and every time I give them the ball — that you better get it done within 120 pitches,” Porter said. “When you start talking about health issues and protecting the player and understanding the ramifications of what can follow that type of stress on your arm, it’s just something that you have to take into consideration given the situation.”

A’s update: Oakland leads the AL West by 2.5 games, despite recently losing a series to the Los Angeles Angels. … The A’s are 9-0 against the Astros this season. … Oakland ranks second out of 30 teams in WHIP (1.19), seventh in ERA (3.62) and fourth in quality starts (58) and batting average against (.243).

Astros update: Chris Carter was hit by a pitch and walked twice Sunday against the Mariners. He’s walked 14 times in his last 17 games and the ex-Athletic has a .412 OBP in his last 25 contests. … Shortstop Jake Elmore is hitting .345 (10-for-29) with a .424 OBP during his last nine games. … Rookie Jarred Cosart is expected to fill the Astros’ open roster spot. He’ll start Tuesday against the A’s after allowing two hits and no runs July 12 at Tampa Bay.